Of Necessary Happenings
by JewelOfTheSea101
Summary: Neville Longbottom had always been content with his wallflower status. Unnoticed by many and valued by few, he had remained in the shadows. Now however, it seems he can't avoid the attention no matter how hard he tries. Post War SLASH no canon
1. Fumblings In The Dark

When people thought of Neville Longbottom before the war, it was usually equated to a joke or confusion. Unnoticed by many and valued by few, Neville was content to remain in the shadows of the ever valiant golden trio, preferring to stick to the wallflower pretence he displayed.

But that's exactly what it was: a pretence. For to the very few who truly knew the young man, he was an irreplaceable treasure.

This select group of people included Seamus Finnegan, Dean Thomas, Ginny Weasley, The Twins (for few acknowledged them by their given names. They had given up long ago), and the only member outside of the lion's den: Luna Lovegood.

Had any of the above been asked, the true qualities of Neville Longbottom outweighed his faked clumsy persona. Though he considered them friends, the Trio was never around enough to get to know the REAL Neville, not completely.

Yet, in Seventh Year, something changed. His wall had been removed and he no longer had anything to hide behind. People began to notice. After all, no one had ever taken the time to actually LOOK. He was a far cry from the round faced, slightly chubby and awkward boy he had entered as in first year.

Now standing at 6 feet 5 inches, he now matched if not surpassed the height of the Twins, becoming one of the tallest in his house and year. He had thinned out considerably, broad shoulders and slim waist giving him a muscled look.

Had it been a normal year, his popularity may have rivalled Draco Malfoy or Harry Potter. At the time however, he was viewed as a fool for his bravery against the Carrows and Snape.

The recreation of Dumbledore's Army with Neville as the head however, began an involuntary influx of admiration for the young man. This was a time of war however, not a time for love, and no feelings were acted on besides brief fumbling in the dark when the fear became to great.

With the disappearances of Ginny, Luna, and Dean followed by the utter torture Seamus had undergone, Neville remained the beacon of hope within Hogwarts, with Harry became the distant saviour outside the castle walls.

With the peak of the war and the official beginning of the Battle of Hogwarts, the fight seemed to awaken the fact that Neville Longbottom was NOT to be ignored or underestimated. His fighting was legendary second only to Harry, the vanquisher of the Dark Lord.

Unlike the beloved saviour however, Neville was not able to dodge the press with the help of Minister Shacklebolt. The vultures were parked outside his Gran's house and followed him around constantly. You would think others would get just as much attention, and some certainly did. At least the attractive ones anyway.

Seamus and Ron had also skyrocketed to the 'celebrity status' with Dean not following far behind due to his couple status with one Hermione Granger (who had managed to tack 'sexiest' onto her title of smartest witch of her age).

Nearly the entire Weasley family had pull within the Ministry, and Arthur had been named liaison and head of the Muggle Studies and Relations Department, tripling his pay.

Surprisingly enough, a fair few Slytherins had been closely watched by the media as well. Theodore Nott had been named a genius after discovering a cure for Dragon Pox, and Blaise Zabini had become recently engaged to one Ginerva Weasley. Draco Malfoy had rocketed to stardom after his spying for the Order in Death Eater ranks had been revealed.

Now, there was nothing wrong with this group of people, save Malfoy (though Neville did retain his suspicion of the snakes), yet Neville did not quite see we're he first in.

All the other lads were considered 'attractive' (not that Neville had noticed until recently. He never had time for experimenting in school as it was always study, study, study, then the war and...) war heroes, and while he could grudgingly admitted he contributed a fair bit in the war effort (not even his modesty could dispute that), he did not fill all the categories.

Unfortunately his own opinion did not seem to hinder the Daily Prophet, Witch Weekly, and countless other media facets from pounding on his door.

In a desperate attempt to achieve some semblance of privacy, he had moved out of the Longbottom Ancestral Manor, choosing to live on one of the many owned properties in the quiet countryside in Derbyshire.

Thankfully the press had yet to discover his location in the two months he had been in seclusion, but he was aware that it was unlikely to remain so. Neville had already received owls from Ginny, Luna, and surprisingly, Hermione, demanding he come out of 'hiding' ( it was NOT hiding, just a bit of a reprieve). After all, Blaise and Ginny's wedding was in three months and besides an outing for his dress robe fitting, he had yet to make a public appearance.

Finally conceding to visit the Burrow after a letter from Molly Weasley filled with thinly-veiled threats of public embarrassment, he began to prepare himself for the evening. Of course, that was before the ghastly letter from Witch Weekly.

Dear Lord Neville Longbottom,

We are pleased to inform you of your placement as second on the Witch Weekly's Most Eligible Bachelors: War Hero Edition! The issue is planned to be released this Tuesday, and your presence is requested for photos and an interview alongside the other bachelors. Attached is the location, time, and other information you may find necessary! We look forward to your arrival!

Signed,

Romilda Vane on behalf of the entire Editorial Staff at Witch Weekly Incorporated


	2. Nerve Damage

Hi everyone! I have not abandoned my other stories; I'm merely editing what I have to improve the content. I hope you like this piece so far! I apologize if the chapters are a bit short. Please ask any questions and Review! Your feedback is greatly appreciated!

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters, settings, and other elements belong to JK Rowling. Only the plot and original characters are mine.

Rereading the letter as if to confirm its existence, Neville sighed heavily. He was trapped on all sides by these self imposed walls and longed to leave their confines, but that would now include aiding the newest media frenzy. Unfortunately for the public, that was not on the top of his list of inclinations.

Pausing for a moment, he frowned. When had he become so bitter? Had the scars begun to cloud his mind? Knowing that a stroll down memory lane was not the brightest of his ideas, he attempted to draw back. His thoughts had run their course however and he could feel the beginnings of an episode coming on.

Now, everyone who had been in the war had scars. Neville himself had long ugly lines of scarred flesh crossed along his back for his disobeying of the Carrows (his efforts seemed to have been worth it however, as he had been the only student ever to receive this punishment at least).

A pink raised crescent was hidden by his hairline; a result of his duel with Dolohov and subsequent saving of Fred Weasley. His right knee had never quite felt the same (he had denied surgery at St Mungo's. Others had been injured far worse), and he still retained a slight limp.

There was one wound he would never forget however. Running from his right most corner of his collarbone to near the center of his naval was a white, jagged laceration. It was thick and contrasted starkly with his tan skin tone. This particular injury had been from his face off with one Bellatrix Lestrange. While he hated who had put it there, he also wanted to remember her last moments of pain for some strange, sick reason.

While the physical scars remained obvious, he was aware of the mental ones as well. Hermione jumped whenever someone walked in a room. Ron still kept his wand under his pillow and slept far less deeply than he used to. Seamus spaced out in random moments, flinching back into reality at equally as random times. Harry had nightmares.

And Neville? Well, Neville had his 'episodes'. They were essentially flashbacks on steroids. He would be stuck on a constant loop of horrors for what seemed like hours, but was usually only two minutes or so. Though he could never tell how he outwardly reacted himself, he had been told by others.

It seemed he essentially 'checks out' and goes extremely pale. Neville knows his hands shake when one is taking place; nerve damage from the Cruciatus Curse. Yet the worst part was what he saw in his mind.

Visiting his parents for the first time and watching them scream in agony over a threat that wasn't there. He still hears them sometimes in his dreams. Screams of his father's name, his mother's name, and even his own...

...Being pushed out the window or nearly drowned by his Uncle Algie will flash through his mind briefly. The things that haunted his childhood nightmares...

...The Dementor's drawing out his parent's torture within his head. The soul crushing darkness he felt. He had found they had taken a particular likening to Harry and himself; they had stayed self included mist of the year...

...Nearly snapping off the edge of his desk during his first lesson with Imposter Mad Eye Moody. The sight of what had driven his loving mother and father into insanity searing itself into his brain...

...Umbridge and her toad like appearance, the words carved into the back of his hand due to her detentions. Her cruel and twisted methods dancing through his consciousness...

... Seeing his fellow Gryffindor's looks when they discovered the fate of his parents. The contempt from his Gran, along with their pitying stares which soon took on an accusing look when asked 'Why hadn't they known?'...

...Meeting Bellatrix Lestrange face to face for the first time in the Department of Mysteries. The night he had had his first duel, disarming Rowle and engaging Yaxley before Tonks and the other Order members interceded...

...Witnessing Dumbledore fall from the Astronomy tower, almost in slow motion. The sickening crunch when his body slammed against the stones in the courtyard. The lifelessness in the man's eyes replacing the iridescent twinkle...

...The horrors faced at the hands of the Carrows. The many nights if lost sleep to treat injuries or to defend another student. Leading the rebellion while trying to protect...

...Then the Final Battle. The snake. The fighting. The heady smell of death and blood, matching evenly with the scene. Watching friends fall, knowing you can't save them all. Harry's lifeless form. The rows of bodies and familiar faces...

Neville begins to wonder if his hands only shook for nerve damage. Finally bringing himself back to reality, he picks up the fallen letter and resigns himself to a night in. Despite all Molly's threats, he would not be attending dinner that night.

No, it wasn't because of the letter he told himself. It was due to his episodes. They did leave him shaken and weary after one. Yes, just due to his episode. No tabloid aversion at all.

In sake of proper etiquette, and to avoid the search bound to take place if her mysteriously never showed for dinner, Neville sent of a short but polite note regretfully telling the Weasley Matriarch of his inability to attend.

Watching the owl fade into the distance, he attempted to convince himself the worm wriggling within his gut was not guilt. Turning away from the window, he headed to the kitchen for a much needed drink. Pulling out his tumbler and a bottle of Imported Egyptian Firewhiskey Bill Weasley had oh so thoughtfully presented him with, Neville leaned back heavily against the counter.

Taking a measured sip, the Longbottom head of house cast a brooding look at the offending parchment payed across his kitchen table. The burn of the alcohol did not register within his mind; it was his constant companion before and after such moments that he reminisced (or was depressed. That to).

A sudden thrum of power pulsating through his wand and into his fingertips made the young man aware of apparent 'guests' arriving through his Floo system. He could already guess who was coming through, as there were only two people on this earth capable of hacking a Floo network.

Neville watched calmly as Fred and George Weasley tumbled from his fireplace and began brushing the soot off of their clothing. Observing them over the rim of his glass for a moment, he debated whether he actually had an opportunity to get out of this dinner. Resigning himself to his fate, there was not so much of a flinch when he was thrown over a shoulder, and manhandled to his mantle, all the while mournfully staring at the shattered pieces of his favorite tumbler smashed across the tile floor.


End file.
